Death & Co. Invades Minneapolis for One Weekend

Midwestern cocktail lovers have reason to rejoice this month—and should plan on blocking out the weekend of August 31 and September 1, because that’s when the famed craft cocktail institution Death & Co. will take over the Hotel Ivy’s Constantine bar in Minneapolis. Lead mixologist Matthew Belanger from New York, and Alex Jump, head bartender of the Death & Co.’s new Denver annex, will make the most of Constantine’s gothic, subterranean atmosphere as they present both classic Death & Co. cocktails as well as special recipes inspired by this new locale. The hotel will also open their Whiskey Chapel, an ultra-lux hidden space within Constantine whose walls are lined with whiskey bottles from around the world.

Weekend warriors should also consider bedding down at the Hotel Ivy, which boasts 136 rooms and 21 suites, as well as a full day spa and a fine-dining restaurant. That’ll make it easy to be first in line when the doors open at 6pm. Or when you toss back your final sip at last call, which hits at a reasonable and fair 2am.

Those who don’t live within striking distance of Minneapolis shouldn’t feel too dejected. In addition to the flagship Death & Co. locale in NYC, which was established on New Year’s Eve 2006/07 and today garnishes two-hour waits, they recently opened their second bar in Denver. Positioned in the River North neighborhood, the expansive bar takes over the entire lobby of the Ramble Hotel and offers the high-quality cocktails you’d expect, as well as plates like chicken liver mousse, family-style dishes, and lines that promise to be a lot shorter than those in the East Village. Heck, the Denver spot even takes reservations.

And it should also be noted that right now the Death & Co. website has a pop-up that announces that they’re “currently accepting investments to grow the brand into new cities.”

So, fingers crossed, more Death & Co. flags will be planted throughout the country. That’s the kind of spirited world domination we can all get behind. Until then, you can always make do with their award-winning cocktail book, which includes house recipes as well as pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about cocktail culture, Death & Co.’s origins, and guides to every piece of essential cocktail-making gear.